How Sam Carter Chose Her Own Engagement Ring
by alliesings
Summary: Jack did something else in WoO that Sam didn’t know about. (complete)


AUTHORS NOTE: Thanks Jen, Ashke, and Tara -- especially Tara, who read it twice because I lost the one with the original edits.. This was an attempt to relieve stress. Hubby, the inside jokes are all for you.  
  
Jack's narration is in //these.//  
  
How Sam Carter Chose Her Own Engagement Ring  
  
by Allie O'N  
  
On the roof of a house, stood a telescope, pointed at the sky.  
  
Beside the telescope, its owner was not thinking of the stars at the time, but of the woman he was kissing and the small box in his pocket.  
  
He pulled away slightly and whispered, "I should have done this years ago."  
  
"You know, I did try back when we first met, but you seemed to think I was under an alien influence at the time."  
  
"Well, now that this is allowed, how about marrying me?" He pulled out the box, and opened it for her to see inside as he lowered himself to one bad knee.  
  
"Jack, it's beautiful! It the exact ring I picked out the weekend after I found out you cared for me. How could you have known?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Samantha, are you going to answer my question?"  
  
Suspicion filled Sam's bright blue eyes. "Jack, how could you have known, and how long have you had this? This style was discontinued two years ago."  
  
"I will divulge no information until we are engaged."  
  
"You drive a hard bargain, Colonel."  
  
"As do you, Samantha."  
  
"That's not fair, you know what that does to me."  
  
"Counting on it. . . Will you? My knees are killing me, here."  
  
Sam shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Come on, sit next to me so you can tell me the whole story."  
  
"Sammie?"  
  
"Not gonna work."  
  
"Sam, are you being stubborn for fun, or is there something wrong?"  
  
"Why won't you just tell me how you knew about this ring?"  
  
"Because I want to kiss you as your fiancé just once before you hurl me off this roof." His hands began to move in the dark.  
  
"Why would I- Hey!"  
  
"What's wrong with a little shoulder rub?"  
  
"Nothing, but why would, oh, I want to throw these hands? . . .You don't play fair."  
  
Jack leaned in close to whisper in Sam's ear. "Will you marry me?" He slid his hands down to hers, and moved the ring onto her finger.  
  
"Yes, but-"  
  
Jack drew her into a kiss that he hoped would distract her from her questioning, but a few moments later, Sam pulled away with a sigh. "Now." She gently pushed him down to the bench, and sat on his lap. "It's story time."  
  
//It all started when we were in the time loops. Remember that? Good.  
  
"Sam."  
  
"Yes, Sir. How can I help you?"  
  
I was standing in the doorway of your lab. "I'd like you to help me with something."  
  
"Sir? How come you are out of uniform?"  
  
"I'm sure you have been working really hard to figure out how you can get us out of this space bubble thingy, and I think you need a break." I walked toward you.  
  
"No offence, Sir, but I don't need a break, it is still morning to me, remember?"  
  
"But still, Teal'c and I have been taking a few loops off to relax, and I want you to come with me this time."  
  
"With all due respect, Sir, I-"  
  
"Ah! I just resigned; you can call me Jack." I pulled you up off your stool and held you in my arms.  
  
"Sir!. . .Jack! This really isn't right."  
  
"But you don't even know what I want yet. I don't want to have to try this again, please trust me."  
  
"I guess it can't hurt too much."  
  
I convinced you to leave the base with me. There were only 4 hours left in the loop, so I had to work fast. On the way to the mall, I confessed.  
  
"I am pretty sure that if I did try to kiss you, you would kiss me back."  
  
"Because of what we said to Freya a few weeks ago?" I never imagined I would hear you speak of it so freely, but I guess you were getting into the loop thing, too.  
  
"Actually, because." I stopped the car right in front of the mall. "You did in the last time loop."//  
  
"Stop, right there!" Sam said, holding Jack's face with both hands. "You kissed me? After all we've been through, you never told me?" She punched him on the arm.  
  
"I guess I have been waiting for that since. . .  
  
//I ducked for the swing at me that didn't come. I peeked over at you, and you just had this shocked expression on your face.  
  
"You kissed me?"   
  
I nodded.   
  
"I kissed you back?"  
  
I nodded again. "I resigned first, and that was what gave me the idea to-"  
  
*Thump, thump, thump*  
  
"You can't park here!"  
  
We looked at each other.  
  
*Thump, thump, thump*  
  
"Excuse me. I can't let you park here."  
  
I couldn't believe that some lady was thumping on my Ford truck!  
  
"We don't have time for this. We've got to go if we are going to get to eat. I am so tired of Froot Loops!"  
  
I got out of the truck, and tossed the keys to the shocked lady. "Here, move it yourself."  
  
I went around, took your hand, and pulled you inside. When we got to the restaurant, your mouth was still hanging open. "Your truck?"  
  
"Sam, you're the theoretical astro-whatever. If that thing can pull me back from another planet, it can get us back to the commissary just as easily. Let's eat. We'll put it on my card."  
  
We ate a very expensive meal, delighted in the knowledge that it wasn't costing anyone a cent, or a calorie Miss triple-chocolate-obsession. Then I told you my plan.  
  
"The real reason I brought you here is that I want you to help me pick out your engagement ring."  
  
Let me tell you, you dropped your fork into the pool of fudge on your plate, and your eyes went so wide.  
  
"Engagement ring?"  
  
"Yes. Is that so hard to imagine? I can't be a field officer forever. When I retire I want you to be-"  
  
"This is unreal!"  
  
"It is kind of, isn't it?"  
  
"I mean, really. The weekend after the summit and all that, I came here thinking about how much you cared for me."  
  
"I love you."  
  
"And I'm not going to remember! That is *so* not fair. Anyway, I was just kind of daydreaming and I wandered into this one store and I saw this ring."  
  
I looked at my watch. "Great! That means it won't take you long to show it to me. Do you want to finish your chocolate. . .thing?"  
  
"I think this is going to be even better than chocolate. Let's go!"//  
  
"So, that was it. You are the one that showed me the ring. You even told me your ring size and everything. Believe me, after memorizing half of the Latin language, that was one important little piece of information for me. Once we were free of the loop, I went ahead and bought the ring. I've had it ever since."  
  
"Wow. You are so lucky."  
  
"That I got to kiss you first, or that I am engaged to the perfect woman?"  
  
"That my taste in jewelry hasn't changed in three years." And she gave her fiancé his second kiss as an engaged man.  
  
*the end*  
  
Copyright (c) 2003 Allie O'Neal alliesings@hotmail.com 


End file.
